Okay
by nikkiwrites902
Summary: "Am I okay?" "I just wanna be able to help you with our baby."


Retsuko."

"Retsuko."

The light switched on and the mattress deepened as the hyena took a seat right beside his sleeping wife.

Caressing her side of her face with his thumb, Haida watched as the red panda slowly opened her eyes. As she awoke she spoke softly.

"Haida... good morning" she smiled.

"What time is it?"

"A little past six. I made you some tea."

She turned over to see the steaming cup on the nightstand. Attempting to sit up, Haida put his arm behind her, keeping her steady.

"Easy there."

Retsuko smiled fondly as he helped her push herself closer to the edge of the bed with the nightstand.

She grasps the cup at the bedside and immediately feels the warmth radiating through the mug and into her hands.

A still steaming cup in hand, she blows, takes a couple sips, and leans back on her husband's shoulder.

"Thanks Haida."

"Anything for you."

He feels his heart flutter and his face heat up affectionately as she curls closer into him, the sleepiness fading away.

"You sleep alright? I hope the baby wasn't too much trouble" he says as he places an arm beside her growing belly.

With every passing day he knows their baby is growing, as made evident by the swell beneath one of his t-shirts she's wearing of an old band he used to listen to in high school at the time.

Yesterday wasn't as such a good morning as the pregnancy had her feeling sick as of late, leaving her in bouts of nausea and sleep.

He felt terrible about it.

She looked up at him with a sleepy smile to try and reassure his worries; put his mind at ease.

"You know I always sleep well when I'm right by your side. Plus, I feel a lot better this morning."

"That's good. Just let me know whenever I can help. I'm going to go make breakfast."

Pressing a kiss to the top of her head, he stood, and made his way to the kitchen.

Retsuko yawned and finished the rest of her tea, and placed a hand on her growing bump.

"Let's not worry Papa, okay?"

—

After they had breakfast, they got dressed and headed out to the station.

Retsuko had an appointment at the maternity ward of the Central General Hospital at 8:45.

Today was the day they were going to find out the gender of the baby.

Retsuko was excited.

Her mother had called almost everyday on her opinion on outfits for the baby. She gave her belly a rub as she remembered how she had told Retsuko how sure the baby was going to be a girl.

Motherly instincts, she said.

"You'll realize once you're having the next one."

Haida had looked rather nervous as she said that.

Looking up at Haida, who was standing and holding onto one of the many rungs on the ceiling of the train, Retsuko reached up for his other hand and gave a gentle squeeze.

He gave a nervous smile back at her.

She came to think he worried the most at the appointments.

—

Doctors' offices and hospitals were something Haida tried to avoid.

After his run in with pneumonia over three years ago, they surely would no longer look the same in his mind.

Just a place full of the sick and more bad news, he thought.

But after Retsuko told him she was pregnant, he'd knew it would be a regular thing now.

He bounced his leg as he sat in the cream colored chairs of the waiting room, and hoped to someone out there that everything would be okay.

Retsuko.

Their baby.

_Their baby._

"Haida are you al-"

"_Retsuko Sato!" _

"Yes!"

Haida immediately stood and followed his petite wife throughout the corridors to a room with machines to check her vitals.

Blood pressure, heart rate, pulse, height, weight, etc.

After the nurse announced that everything was as it should be, she then led the couple to the room with an examination table and ultrasound machine off to the side.

He let out a quick sigh of relief as the nurse told them the doctor would be there in a moment.

Haida took a seat right next to the chair while he watched Retsuko get herself up there like he had other times before.

The doctor, Dr. Akira, an older lady jaguar, knocked on the door and came in.

"Alright how are Papa and Mama doing today?" she asked with a smile.

_Terrified. _Haida thought.

"As good as always", Retsuko said with a smile.

As the doctor got the equipment ready, Retsuko turned to Haida who then held out his hand for her.

"Just to let you know again, the gel will be a bit cold."

Haida felt Retsuko shiver as she gave an eep of surprise at the instant cool gel.

As Dr. Akira waved the wand around her abdomen, Haida clutched Retsuko's hand tighter; the sound of the baby's heartbeat filled the room.

He saw Retsuko pay close attention to the screen before the doctor pointed out the figure of the baby. He paid even closer attention to see the baby's arms and legs.

"Baby's heart rate is normal, and growing steadily. Ready to find out the gender?"

Retsuko gave a confident "of course!" while Haida smoothed the fur on her head and smiled.

"Congratulations, it's a girl!"

As Dr. Akira took the picture and handed it to them, she stowed the rest of the equipment away, and told Retsuko that at this rate, the baby's delivery would definitely meet it's due date of January 20th.

She gave them their next appointment details, and gave them a bit of privacy.

Retsuko immediately sat up from the table and gave him a long and loving embrace.

"A baby girl" she whispered.

Haida's heart felt like it would burst.

Retsuko's okay.

The baby is okay.

Our daughter is okay.

"Our daughter.." he whispered.

He broke apart from Retsuko and took another look at the picture. The white bolded letters 'I'M A GIRL' shining right back at him.

The more he looked at the picture, the more he began to think.

"Retsuko?"

"Yes?"

"Am I okay?"

"What do you mean?" she asked as she fixed her shirt and began to rub her belly in small circles.

"Am I doing ... well?

Because I just want to be sure that I'm going to be a good dad.

That I'm going to be able to take care of you and our daughter."

He let out a nervous chuckle.

"Heh, that's I'll be able to help her get ready for school, take her to father-daughter dances, and scare off her boyfriends."

He sets his hands in his lap and looks down.

"I just wanna help you with our baby."

Nearing the edge of the table, Retsuko takes her husband's chin into her hand. Brushing the side of his face with her hand, she calls him.

"Haida, look at me."

He raises his eyes to meet hers, as she tries to calm his worries once more.

"You are doing great. Throughout everything. You love and care for me everyday, ever since we've been married and even longer. From helping me with morning sickness to the couch cuddles when I don't feel the best."

She sees Haida's face begin to warm with a smile.

"You make sure I am taken care of. And I wake up everyday thankful that I do not only have the best husband in the world, but the best father in the world."

"Our daughter will grow up with all of the love, care, and guidance she could ever have."

She gives him a quick peck on the lips.

"And you can definitely scare away her boyfriends.

Haida let out a laugh and kissed her in return.

"Let's go home." he says.

With one final hug, they're making their way out of the doors and to their way home.

—

Later that night, Retsuko was trying to make herself comfy in bed for the night.

"Here, let me help."

As Retsuko laid on her said, her husband got into bed, spooning her from behind, while he placed his arm between the side swell of her belly and the bed, alleviating the pressure like a body pillow.

"Thank you so much."

"Anything for you."

"I should call my mom tomorrow and let her know it's a girl."

Haida breathes out sleepily.

"Definitely. And then we can start thinking about names."

"I'm excited."

"Me too."

As Haida and his wife began to fall asleep, he could feel a few kicks from the baby.

He gave one last rub, and closed his eyes.

_Retsuko's okay. _

_I'm okay. _

_Our daughter is okay. _

_No._

_We're better than okay. _


End file.
